Navy and Coast Guard Ships Associated with Service in Vietnam and Exposure to Herbicide Agents

Updated January 6, 2011

This ships list is intended to provide VA regional offices with a resource for determining whether a particular US Navy or Coast Guard Veteran of the Vietnam era is eligible for the presumption of Agent Orange herbicide exposure based on operations of the Veteran's ship.

According to 38 CPR § 3.307(a)(6)(iii), the presumption of herbicide exposure requires that the Veteran's service involved "duty or visitation in the Republic of Vietnam.” For those Veterans who served aboard ships operating primarily or temporarily on the inland waterways of Vietnam, their service involved "duty" in Vietnam. In such cases, the evidence must show that the ship was on the inland waterways and the Veteran was aboard at that time. For those Veterans who served aboard ships that docked and the Veteran went ashore or served aboard ships that did not dock but the Veteran went ashore, their service involved "visitation" in Vietnam. In cases involving docking, the evidence must show that the Veteran was aboard at the time of docking and the Veteran must provide a statement of personally going ashore. In cases where shore docking did not occur, the evidence must show that the ship operated in Vietnam’s close coastal waters for extended periods, that members of the crew went ashore, or that smaller vessels from the ship went ashore regularly with supplies or personnel. In these cases, the Veteran must also provide a statement of persona1ly going ashore.

 Ships operating temporarily on Vieh1am's inland waterways or docking to the shore

 Ships operating on Vietnam's close coastal waters for extended periods with evidence that crew members went ashore or that smaller vessels from the ship went ashore regularly with supplies or personnel

This list is not complete. Therefore, the presumption of herbicide exposure should not be denied solely because the Veteran's ship is not on this list. Additionally, when regional office personnel obtain evidence showing that a ship fits into any of these categories. The evidence should be forwarded to the Compensation and Pension Service Agent Orange Mailbox [VAVBAWAS/CO/211/AGENTORANGE] so that the ship can be added to the listing.

USS Maury (AGS-16) [Mapping Survey Ship] conducted surveys of Mekong River Delta and other coastal areas and rivers from November 1965 through 1969

USS Tanner (AGS-15) conducted surveys of Mekong River Delta and other coastal areas and rivers from October 1966 through 1968

USS Serrano (AGS-24) conducted mapping surveys of Mekong River Delta and other coastal and river areas from 1966 through 1969

USS Merrick (AKA-97) [Attack Cargo Ship] operated on Mekong River Delta and Saigon River during 1966 and docked at Da Nang during September 1968

USS Ponchatoula (AO-148) [Oiler] operated on Mekong River Delta during July 1971

USS Kansas City (AOR-3) [Replenishment Oiler] docked at Da Nang on August 6 and 19, 1971

USS Henrico (AP A-45) [Amphibious Attack Transport] operated on Hue River during March 1965 and conducted numerous troop lauding through March 1967

USS Montrose (APA-212) operated on Song Hue River during December 1965, operated on Long Tau River during March 1967, and operated on Cua Viet River and at Dong Ha during May 1967

USS Talladega (APA-208) operated on Saigon River during October 1967

USS Grasp (ARS-24) [Salvage Ship] conducted salvaging operations on Song Cua Dia River and other inland waters from February through April 1969

USS Bolster (ARS-38) crew operated on land to extract USS Clark County (LST-601) from beach after grounding at Duo Pho from November 18 to December 1, 1967

USS Reclaimer (ARS-42) operated in Saigon Harbor to salvage USS Card (ACV-l1) from sinking in Saigon River during May 1964 and in Rung Sat Special Zone of Mekong River Delta salvaging ships during early 1966

USS Tillamook (ATA-192) [Auxiliary Ocean Tug] operated on Long Tau branch of Saigon River during January 1966

USS Mahopac (ATA-196) operated on Mekong River from October 30-November 3, 1966

USS Union (AKA/LKA-106) [Attack/Amphibious Cargo Ship] anchored in mouth of the Hue River while conducting operations during April 1965 and conducted troop and cargo "mike boat" beach landings at Da Nang and Cam Ranh Bay from 1965 to 1969

USS Bayfield (APA-33) conducted troop on loading and "mike boat" landings at Da Nang, Chu Lai, Baie de My Han, and Cua Viet River from July through October 1965 and February through May 1967

USS Hector (AR-7) [Repair Ship] anchored in Vung Tau Harbor repairing other vessels from July 20 to August 16, 1970, with deck logs stating that crew members went ashore on liberty leave

USS Currituck (A V-7) [Sea Plane Tender] travelled up Saigon River to Saigon during early 1964; operated in Mekong River Delta during June 1965; anchored at Cam Ranh Bay for month long periods during 1966 and 1967 to repair and tend to Navy sea planes. with the likelihood that crewmembers went ashore on liberty leave

USS Pine Island (AV-12) anchored at Da Nang during August 1964, and Cam Ranh Bay for month long periods during 1965 and 1966, to repair and tend to Navy sea planes, with the1ikelihood that crewmembers went ashore on liberty leave

USS Salisbury Sound (AV-13) travelled up Saigon River to Saigon during June 1964, and anchored at Cam Ranh Bay for month long periods during 1966, to repair and tend to

Navy sea planes, with the likelihood that crewmembers went ashore on liberty leave

USS Chicago (CG-11) [Guided Missile Cruiser] while anchored in Da Nang Harbor on May 22, 1969, deck logs show a utility boat went ashore for one hour with eight crewmembers aboard

USS Wiltsie (DD-716) [Destroyer] while anchored off the coast, two officers and five sailors went ashore by helicopter for one night during September 1970

USS Cleveland (LPD-7) [Amphibious Transport Dock] operated on Cua Viet River and at Dong Ha, as well as Hue River, with "mike boats" from November 1967 through 1968 and on the Saigon River during September 1969

USS Carter Hall (LSD-3) [Landing Ship Dock] conducted troop-landing operations with “mike boats" at Da Nang, Dong Ha on Cua Viet River, and Nha Be on Saigon River, as well as three-month duty as "boat repair ship" at Da Nang, from July 1965 to August 1968

USS Whetstone (LSD-27) on-loaded and delivered troops to Da Nang, Hue, Phu Bai, Dong Ha with beach landings and “mike boats” and served as long term “boat havens" for repairs of smaller vessels at Da Nang and Qui Nhon during 1965, 1966, 1968, and 1969

USS Epping Forest (MCS-7) [Mine Countermeasure Support Ship] conducted mine sweep of Cua Viet River using smaller vessels from main ship during May 1968